Post date: Apr 10, 2011 7:48:39 PM
Israel's most famous transgender celebrity Dana International excited to represent Israel in the 2011 Eurovision song contest, after winning the prestige musical festival in 1998.
PETAH TIKVA, ISRAEL (APRIL 10, 2011) REUTERS - Pop-diva Dana International on Sunday (April 10) started filming a $100,000 music video for her song "Ding Dong", which will represent Israel in the 2011 Eurovision song contest.
The singer, who already won the popular European song contest in 1998 with the hit "Diva", told reporters she was honoured to perform in such a prestigious event and that it didn't really matter to her whether she wins it or not."I find it (the Eurovision Song Contest) a great event, which is both silly and with a lot of fun. In the bottom line every artist in Israel and in the world should be thankful when given the opportunity to perform on such stages, with the best sound in the world, the best lighting in the world, the best of everything in the world. It's a privilege and an honour to perform on stages like this, and may more of these events will take place. It really doesn't matter where you get to", she said.
Born Yaron Cohen, a male, Dana International stirred controversy with Israel's Ultra Orthodox Jewish community, who branded her as abomination.
But after almost twenty years as a successful performer, she prefers not to allow her personal story become the issue.
"The fact that you're gay doesn't mean you'll automatically get support. You first need to make people fall in love with you, to love what you do. You need to talk to them and then you can get their support. I can tell you that our community is one of the toughest, most cynical (communities) there is, so it's very difficult with them."
The annual Eurovision song contest, which featured some 1,100 songs during its 55 years' existence, has become a European classic with dedicated fans all over the world.
The 56th contest will be held in Dusseldorf, Germany, in May 14.